How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication for WordPress

Website security is a cause for concern for every website owner. To put your mind to rest, there are several measures you can take to enhance your website’s security. These include setting up two-factor authentication and making backups of your website and saving them in multiple locations. Internet is structured in a way that makes all websites vulnerable to a hack. Hence, it is important to apply security features.

Check your backup WordPress site

Backup WordPress site is the first feature you need to implement. Several hosting providers conduct routine backups, which are offered as a part of their business website plans. However, the frequency of backups needs to be checked. Some hosts back up once a week or month, while others do it every day or every two days.

Doing backups on a daily basis is advisable as you’ll be able to restore your data quickly in case of a disaster. If your website has been backed up a month ago, the restoration won’t have the most current data.

Backup creates a restore point that is essential. For example, if you create a backup on Thursday, and you get hacked on Friday, you can easily restore your backup, and all the malware installed on Friday will get be removed. However, steps like two-factor authentication are necessary to keep your website safe.

Two factor authentication

Once you get your WordPress set up, you gain access to a control panel that helps you update your site and conduct various administrative changes. There’s a password for this login. Your password needs to be complex enough to be secure. A four-digit PIN has a maximum of 10,000 combinations. It is incredibly easy for a computer program to figure out the correct password by randomly putting in different combinations.

To complicate your password, you need to include 8-16 characters that have both small and capital letters, as well as special characters and numbers. Unfortunately, a hacker can still figure out your password.
Hackers use a “brute force attack”, which means that hackers will try to gain access to your site by applying all the possible combinations until the stumble upon the right one. A complicated password won’t stop this, merely slow them down.

These two steps will make it extremely difficult, if not downright impossible, for hackers to infiltrate your system. You need to keep a limited number of attempted logins. Hence, a hacker cannot try all combinations. Instead, they will have to contact the administrator after trying to log in three times or they will stay locked out. Plus the owner of the website can be made aware of an attempted hack on their website.

Two distinct logins are required for two factor authentication. The initial one entails the usual username and password. The second authentication could be a text or email sent to your cellphone. This typically includes a code number that helps you verify your identity before letting you access your account.
Your password might still be able to guess your password, but physically getting a hold of your phone to get past the second step of protection will be near impossible.

Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication

It is quite straightforward to set up two-factor authentication. To begin with, install a plugin that is two-factor-like Two Factor and Two Factor SMS. After installation, these plugins will guide you on how to set up your account so that your smartphone is correctly linked to it.

Conclusion

A backup WordPress site can be created by a number of web hosting providers. They also provide you with help in setting up a two-factor authentication system. Host.co.in provides both of these services, along with any assistance needed to ensure the safety of your website and to secure all of its data.

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